The alarm clock says wake up, but your body and mood say hibernate. Could you have Seasonal Affective Disorder? Here are the best ways to battle the winter blues…

Every year, as sunlight gets scarcer, Dana Carpender’s mental and physical batteries start to run down, signs of her annual bout of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

“I tell people I’m solar-powered,” says the Bloomington, Ind., cookbook author. “It’s not uncommon for me to stay in bed until noon. My brain feels blank and foggy, and it’s almost impossible for me to think clearly enough to work.”

The 52-year-old says her annual winter lethargy and depression go back at least 25 years, although she wasn’t diagnosed with SAD until a decade ago.

Shorter days and less sunlight are known to affect animals’ wintertime behavior, and scientists believe these conditions also affect human moods, bodily rhythms and sleep patterns. As with Carpender, this mismatch may trigger many SAD symptoms, such as feeling down, having no energy, oversleeping, craving carbs and gaining weight.

About 20% of Americans – three-quarters are women – have SAD, a form of depression that returns as the winter solstice approaches; 15% of them suffer from milder winter blues, sometimes called subsyndromal SAD.

“People with SAD withdraw in winter and cut themselves off from potential sources of enjoyment,” says Kelly Rohan, Ph.D., a University of Vermont associate professor of psychology. “They may sleep extra hours, spend lots of time on the couch, watch TV mindlessly, avoid social contacts and stop regular hobbies.”

Treatments such as light therapy, vitamin D and antidepressants can alleviate the depression. Here’s how to stop hibernating and start living again.

1. Light TherapyWhen sunlight is in short supply, doctors recommend the next best thing: light therapy, a treatment that involves daily exposure to bright artificial light from a thin, notepad-sized device, often propped on a table. The therapy is believed to improve the effects of mood-boosting brain chemicals such as serotonin and regulate your body’s internal clock.

“It’s the most widely used and extensively studied SAD treatment,” Rohan says.

Special light boxes and lamps are sold without a prescription, and their cost – from $100-$300 – is sometimes reimbursed by insurance if recommended by a mental health professional. The standard brightness for light therapy is 10,000 lux. By comparison, ordinary indoor lighting is usually below 500 lux and sunlight is 10,000-100,000 lux.

In the past, full-spectrum bulbs that mimicked sunlight were recommended, but they’re risky, since they include ultraviolet (UV) light, which may contribute to skin cancer and cataracts. Ordinary fluorescent bulbs – Lewy recommends inexpensive, cool-white ones – work just as well.

Few risks are associated with light-box therapy, but side effects – headaches, eyestrain or feeling wired – may occur, Rohan says.

Talk to your ophthalmologist before starting light therapy if you have an eye disease that makes your eyes vulnerable to light damage, such as macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa or diabetic retinopathy. Also, check with your doctor first if you take medications or supplements that make eyes light-sensitive, such as lithium, certain antipsychotics or St. John’s wort.

To get rhythms back on track, “have light therapy soon after awakening – around the time dawn occurs in spring,” Lewy says.

Distance:Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how far away to sit from the light box: 18 inches is typical.

Positioning: “Place the light box above your head, so it replicates the angle of sunlight,” recommends Scott Bea, Psy.D., a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. When sunlight strikes the eye’s retina, signals are sent to parts of the brain that control daily rhythms. The idea is to mimic this effect.

And just as you wouldn’t stare directly at the sun, don’t look directly at the bright light. “Just bask in the glow with your eyes open,” Bea says.

Duration: At first, people typically use the light box for 1-2 hours a day, Lewy says.

“Once you respond, you can cut it to about 30 minutes.”

Many pass the time reading, writing, eating, talking on the phone, working on a computer or watching TV.

Don’t start light therapy until the first SAD signs appear because it usually takes just a few days for benefits to kick in, Lewy advises.

But if you’re prone to SAD, some experts recommend starting treatment proactively in September or early October. In either case, keep it up until spring.

For mild winter blues, you can try light-box therapy on your own. But for best results, consult a mental-health professional familiar with the treatment to ensure the device’s proper use.

If your depression causes serious problems in daily life or if you have suicidal thoughts, seek professional help as soon as possible.

2. MedicationsAntidepressants and psychotherapy are effective relief for SAD symptoms, just as they are for year-round depression.

One antidepressant, Wellbutrin XL (bupropion), has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for preventing SAD.

"It can be prescribed in fall and tapered off in spring,” says Laura Smith, Ph.D., a psychologist in Corrales, N.M., and author of Seasonal Affective Disorder for Dummies(Wiley). Possible side effects include agitation, anxiety and insomnia.

3. Talk therapyThough SAD is a physiological response to sunlight, “cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the only form of talk therapy that has been shown in randomized controlled studies to be effective for treating it,” Smith says.

“People with SAD, like those with other depression, typically have negative and pessimistic beliefs,” and CBT helps them recognize and change distorted thinking, she says. “The big benefit is that skills learned in therapy can be applied whenever symptoms return.”

CBT also targets withdrawn, lethargic behavior.

“We push patients to identify pleasant activities and schedule them into their daily routine, starting with just a few minutes and building up,” Rohan says.

That might include socializing with friends, joining clubs, going to movies, pursuing hobbies – anything that would normally be fun.

More mood brightenersFor a mild case of winter blues or blahs, these steps can boost your mood. If you have full-fledged SAD, they can help make the most of other treatments.

Exercise: Physical activity helps relieve stress and anxiety, both of which can make SAD worse. Walk the dog, bike to work, or shovel snow off the driveway. “The best exercise takes place outside, so you also get the benefits of sunlight,” Smith says.

Nutrition:People with SAD often crave carbs because eating them increases serotonin in the brain. Unfortunately, they might satisfy this urge with unhealthy food – like brownies, candy bars and potato chips – which leads to weight gain.

A better idea: “Choose high-quality carbs, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and brown or wild rice,” says Jessica Fishman Levinson, M.S., a registered dietitian in New York City. “They’ll slow the rise and fall of your blood sugar, keeping you satisfied and your mood more stable.”

Melatonin: This sleep-related hormone is secreted by the body’s pineal gland in response to darkness. But in SAD sufferers, melatonin production is often delayed or disrupted.

A very low dose of melatonin taken in the late afternoon may correct the delayed body rhythms found in most people with SAD. Lewy suggests taking 0.3 mg daily– far less than found in sleep-aid supplements. Such a low dose poses little risk, he says.

At higher doses – it’s typically sold in 3 mg formulations – melatonin’s side effects may include daytime sleepiness, headaches, dizziness, sleep-walking and confusion. The hormone also can interact with some medications, such as diabetes drugs and anticoagulants. To be safe, don’t take it – or any supplement – without consulting your doctor.

Sunlight:Bask in any available sunlight, especially in the morning and even on a cold, overcast day. When you’re stuck inside, open the curtains or blinds to let natural light in.

Linda Wasmer Andrews is a freelance writer who specializes in health and psychology. She’s author or coauthor of four books about depression, including Encyclopedia of Depression (Greenwood) and Monochrome Days (Oxford University Press).

Could You Be Depressed?Depression affects 20 million people in any given year and is a serious enough disorder to compromise one's ability to function normally day to day. Find out if you're just blue or if you might be clinically depressed.

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